Janice aboard Seaweed,
living the good life afloat...

Here, I share my views on living
aboard a small boat with very limited resources. Hopefully my successes will help
others achieve the life. And yes, I'll share the things I did wrong too --
though not everything 'cause a girl's got to have her secrets!

Thank you for using
my Amazon links
when ordering from that site. It costs you nothing and helps me too. Thank
you.

Finding someone to share the journey afloat is not so
easy. This is Part 3 of a series for those seeking a cruising
partner. Seeing a sea turtle pop up his head is so much more
satisfying when you can say "did you see that?" to someone you care
about. I had that with my Bob, albeit via the telephone. Since then
though, well, I miss Bob. You met Bob in the Time Stopped
article.

One way to meet people that share our interests is to
take a class in a subject that can be useful as we cruise. What do
you like to do? Are you heading for the tropics? If so, a class to
learn scuba diving may be just the thing. You will meet others who
share that passion.

As a bonus with
equipment (an air tank or hookah unit) you will be able to keep your
propeller clean. Checking and replacing zincs as needed is important
too. Cleaning boat bottoms is a lucrative business. I have Seaweed's
bottom done once a month.

Levi is the diver I am using
currently. He does a great
job at a reasonable rate. Like all good divers he is busy.
Send Levi a text [330-689-6652] if you're in
the region and he might be able to fit you in.

In Madeira Beach,
Infinite-Descent
has a
retail store for divers and water aficionados.

At Infinite Descent diver Kayla was helpful in
explaining the PADI
certification requirements.If you're in the area call 727-202-6965 for
more
information about
Infinite-Descent.

I know a fellow who took
beginning Spanish three times in a row at a local college. Classes
are sometime free for older folks who wish to audit (sit and listen)
to the class. The gent ended up dating the instructor.

Courses in diesel mechanics,
navigation and fishing would all be useful. These tasks can be
learned from a book however a class will put you with others who
share your interest.

Another place that offers classes
is the local fabric
store. Most will having beginning sewing
courses.
Being able to sew new cushion covers, curtains and
more will save
money. I am not an expert at the machine!

Although my sewing skills are not
anything to brag about, my sewing machine is. It's a Singer 221 and
was a gift from my friend Mabe. This is an older unit (circa 1950's)
and does a perfect straight stitch. It goes forward and reverse,
and that is it. There is no zigzag. I like that because this machine is not
complicated, and because it was a gift.

Like many, I
remember the people behind the things I use. When I turn on my
watermaker I think of Bill and Ken. The air-conditioner is Grandpa
Edwin. Two of the solar panels are Bucky. The refrigerator is Michael. And
the sewing machine is Mabe. As you can see, many people have made
this life of mine better. I truly am blessed.

Regarding sewing your own bimini:
They are Much Harder than one would think. There are a lot of curves. A well made bimini may indeed be worth spending the $$$ necessary
for a properly made unit.

A bimini covering the fly bridge keeps the captain
out of the bright sun or rain at least some of the time.

The best thing though is to
get out there and learn. If the first class doesn't "click" there is
no reason not to take the course again. Sometimes, at least for me,
I need to hear and see information more than once for it to sink in.
When I was younger it seems like learning was quicker than it is
now.

Nothing is as fast
as it once was,
except my need to use the head at night!

The boat I chose has an easily assessable head
near my bunk. This is
the schematic of Seaweed:

But I digress...
Librarians are generally knowledgeable about all things local. Those
folks know everything about their communities. Asking a librarian
about nearby activities isn't precisely their field of expertise
however I've never been disappointed.

The thing is this:
when searching for someone to share your life, sitting on the boat
won't work. You've got to get out there and socialize.

One place to do that is in Gulfport
at the
↓ Casino. There is
dancing inside this building.Outside the Gulfport Casino is a seating area. It
overlooks
the tennis courts, beach, park and a nice anchorage.

I told you about that anchorage in
the
Gulfport,
FL weekend dockmaster Tom
article.This is Tom. ↑ He
is the weekend dockmaster in
Gulfport and a great ambassador for the community.

I find that happiness increases when I have someone to share my
experiences with. Mostly that is via this website. Thank you for
reading.

Announcement: Folks who want to be notified when I post are
welcome to become subscribers. I email readers every time a new article
goes up. That's usually once or twice per week. If you'd like to be
included via BCC* simply drop me a line to
janice@janice142.com and I'll add you. It's free.

*BCC - Blind Carbon Copy. Basically no one but me will have
your email address and the list of subscribers is not available.

Now this is not fancy. Basically I copy off the top three
items in my Archive file. That way you can catch up if life gets in the
way of your reading fun.

Secret: If you want to know what's what, start in the
Archive. It
offers you the title, first paragraph and topics (Categories) covered in
each article published on my website.

Something a new
reader might not realize: Almost every picture on
this website can be clicked. The photo will get larger when clicked. Do
that a second time and the picture should be full size. Enjoy...

My Cruising Kitty earns money each
time you buy on Amazon through my links. It costs you nothing and helps
supplement my cruising funds.

Thanks for your support, and heck,
just for being here. I appreciate that more than you can imagine.

Oh, a wondrous bird is the pelican!
His bill holds more than his belican.
He can take in his beak enough food for a week.
But I'm darned if I know how the helican.
(Poem by Dixon Lanier Merritt, 1879-1972.)

For years I've been collecting short
pithy statements otherwise known as aphorisms. If you're like me and enjoy
the weird, go ahead and
CLICK!

These are previously posted at the
bottom of each article -- for new, you'll have to come visit again.

Seaweed is in St. Pete right now.

The above chart (#411) can be a
wish book of sorts as you look over your domain and wonder where to go
next. And yes, I do have the originals (sans red arrow) as jpeg's for
download should you desire your own for closer perusal. Enjoy!

It's my belief that other folks who
boat are some of the most interesting in the world. Inside every boater
is a story. Let yours out! I'd love to post short stories, vignettes, or
even longer articles that focus on some aspect of our life on or near
the water. Suggested topics include:

1. I Remember When...
2. My First Boat
3. Who inspired you to be a boater?
4. Fishing Trips or Tricks
5. Or another subject of your choosing

For the novice, here's how to write: Simply pretend
you're sending a letter to a friend. Tell about an event or a memory
from years ago that you still recall.

Life has changed so much on the
water since I was born aboard. Personally I'd love to hear your memories
of life when you were younger. Boats were smaller, narrower, and much
slower. Kids were kids and our families often shaped the adult we have
become. Here are my two aboard the tow boat my dad ran for a time:

Your pictures would be wonderful too. I posted one of
Boot Key Harbor taken in 2001 that has gotten quite a few downloads
and really, that's not so terribly long ago... Do you have any photos to
share?
Email me.

Do you want to help
out?

Often an article for the website
will be completely written yet lack photographs. I like pictures and am
looking for some for up-coming pieces:

Pets afloat (include pet and boat
name please)

Any picture of boats underway or at
anchor

Photos of people enjoying life in
or on the water

Size: a minimum of 1000 pixels
across please. If that doesn't make sense think bigger versus resized
for emailing. I prefer the full-size version. Also, the name you'd
like me to use when I add the copyright stuff to your picture. And
thanks bunches!